I'm a natural Earthy kinda girl, I love all things green and have been an eco-warrior and animal rights activist from a young age. It is only apt therefore that I was actually born on Earth Day. This is my blog looking into ways to help both the planet, and each and every one of its inhabitants, and to put an end to animal testing full stop.

Wednesday, 16 November 2011

Whenever I report horrific crimes of cruelty it is never as close to home as this...one of my closest friends, Lauren, went to feed her bunny Dennis last night to find him dead in his hutch. Burned. It looks like he died from shock of being set on fire.

When Lauren checked she found evidence of burned paper, what it looks like is someone after trying to break into his hutch and failed, they have grabbed Dennis's foot through the bars and set him on fire.

Lauren lives in the Warddykes area of Arbroath and her garden is surrounded by a 6ft brick wall! This incident happened between late night November 15th to early morning November 16th. Her bunny's hutch wasn't visible to anyone outside. Either this person has known that she had a bunny outside or they have been jumping walls looking for them!

Dennis never hurt anyone in his life and to hear of this not only breaks my heart but it makes me physically sick to my stomach!

Lauren has contacted the Police who have not only taken statements from both Lauren and her partner, they have went round the neighbours, most of whom are elderly looking for information. One of her neighbour's has reported a boy in his mid to late teens/early twenties hanging around her garden last week, but as there are younger people down the hill from her, it could be completely unrelated. The police have also taken away Dennis's hutch...due to the damp and cold, they weren't able to take fingerprints in the usual way, so instead they have to take it away to forensics to get the prints off with a certain chemical.

Lauren is one of the biggest animal lovers I know...she is this crazy animal lady, in the best of senses...when she isn't working (which FYI, all of the work that she does is helping other people feel good about themselves, she is one of the nicest people you could ever meet!!!), her time is dedicated to her pets. Hell, she's invited me around one evening to have a few glasses of wine whilst she did her nightly cleaning and feeding of her various pets! This is someone who cares for her animal's like most care for their children, she adores them!

And the worst thing is...this isn't the first case of animal abuse atrocity poor Lauren has had to encounter this year. Back in July she tried to help save the life of the little Chihuahua that was mauled to death by the Staffie...and then worse, the stupid ignorant bitch of an owner ran off! The Chihuahua died and once the cowbag owner finally handed herself in, after total pressure from the papers and a local dog walker's group that put up a big reward for the person who led the police to her...the Staffie was killed! The fact that two dogs had to suffer because of a pathetic excuse for a human who was a terrible dog owner, it's disgusting. I never believe in putting a dog down without at least attempting to retrain them. And the fact that this horrible woman pretty much walked away scot free as well....completely sickening!

So yes, not to get off track but I just find it appalling that such a big animal lover, and lovely person such as Lauren has had this happen to her. :(

If anyone has any information, even if it seems small, please do let me know straight away so I can let Lauren and the police know. Alternatively you can call the police direct on 0300 111 2222, or the SSPCA on 03000 999 999.

Lauren's Mum Susan is offering a reward for any information that will lead to finding the killers! Lauren has spoken to reporters from throughout Scotland as well as the police, and I have spoken to a reporter from The Sun so here's hoping all of this will help. Let's bring these evil bastards to justice and make sure they never do anything like this again, this is gross animal cruelty to the most disgusting of ways, let's make sure they pay!

R.I.P. Dennis, you died way too young and in the most horrific of ways. We'll always remember you. <3

Thursday, 10 November 2011

Okay so despite the fact that I will pretty much believe in anything, you know, aliens, reincarnation, Nessie....I was always a wee bit sceptical about is Ear Candling. My skepticism has more than likely arisen from the fact that I wasn't actually 100% sure what Ear Candling actually meant! I thought that wax candles were put inside your ear, like actually in your ear drum and left to burn. To say that I was a little confused is an understatement.

Ear Candling involves placing a hollow candle in the ear canal (not putting it actually in the ear drum, as I had previously thought) and lighting the top end. A qualified Ear Candling therapist is definitely recommended. I mean, I sure as hell wouldn't be letting someone light a candle, hollow or not, near my head, let alone in my ear without them being qualified!

Due to a tooth root infection, I had to have a tooth removed the other day. This led to my sinuses being infected and my right eye puffing up to make me look like John Merrick's twin sister! My Doctor had prescribed me anti-biotics and the swelling had been coming down loads.

When my friend Lauren suggested Hopi Ear Candles, I was a bit apprehensive but thought, what the hey...it can't be worse than the Dentist! Nothing can be worse than the freakin' Dentist! Aaaargh! I decided to let her put the first candle in my right ear...the one where the lovely infection and mutant'ness was! When she lit the first candle it made this really crackling and hissing sound, there was a strong sense of honey (something which Lauren told me was in the candle's) and I felt like I was a birthday cake for Winnie the Pooh!

After the candle burned down she massaged my face which was slightly painful, but in no way near as painful as what it had been when I had been rubbing cream into it myself! I've even been using massage oil at night time as the pain was so bad and I thought that might help.

When I turned over for my left ear to have the candle in it, I had to make sure I was positioned right so as not to be in so much pain with my face lying down. The candle in the left ear was so much more different. The way it burned down was different, the crackling and hissing was a lot less. When I told Lauren this she told me that this may be due to the fact that the candle takes in all the 'badness' - that is my word, not hers. I'm not actually sure what she said exactly. Basically the candle acts like a chimney and sucks up any problems in your ear. Due to the fact that we knew exactly what my problem was, i.e. Sinus Infection in my right eye, it was understandable why the candle in the right ear was more hissy and crackly!

All of this aside though, and what actually matters....it worked!!! Afterwards when speaking to Lauren's Mum, a complete Candle sceptic as well....she noticed a HUGE difference in my eye! I have this scar under my eye from when my Bunny kind of mauled my face. Above the scar had been totally puffy and visible. After the Hopi Candle treatment, it had went down so much. And we're talking within half an hour sort of period. Part of me wishes I'd got Lauren to do this when my eye was still all puffed up and John Merrick looking!

Whilst I was speaking to Susan, (Lauren's Mum) afterwards, I felt the area around my jaw/top cheek bone was really swollen. It was like the puffiness had left my eye and moved downwards. I can now happily say that less than 4 hours later, that puffiness had gone down immensely! I am actually rather in shock at the difference! And I am not one to say that something has worked when it hasn't! This is actually rather incredible. I can touch my face and I don't feel like a total freak, the swelling has went down so much!

I really wish that I had actually taken some pictures. Usually when anything freaky or bizarre or morbid happens, I am the first to take pictures. But when it comes to my face, I am afraid that I am as vain as they come. The picture of mutation is scarred in my brain!

This has seriously helped though and I wholeheartedly advise anyone with sinus problems or infections to give this a try! For those with general hearing problems, I'm awaiting my Mother's reaction on the Hopi Ear Candles before I share that advice. All I know is that, if you have a sinus problem, then definitely give Hopi Ear Candles a go...and this is coming from an incredibly vain person with a face that is definitely a whole less puffier...and back to its usual oh so pretty self! Haha. :D Just don't ask me to smile, that's still a bit wonky! ;)

Saturday, 5 November 2011

When researching ScriptSwitch, the new
method of prescribing medication increasingly used by the NHS, I
found Fluoxetine was in 13th place in the most prescribed
drugs in the UK!?! Is Britain as a nation really that depressed?

If you look at the top 20 drugs on
ScriptSwitch, the obvious ones such as Paracetamol and Aspirin are in
the first and second positions respectively. That’s fair enough;
pain is a serious pain in the metaphorical and literal butt.
Although I sometimes think that doctors advise patients to take these
types of painkillers all too quickly.

I mean when you think about it, if one
was to overdose on Co-Codamol, it would not be the Codeine that would
cause the most damage, it would be the Paracetamol. The most common
and easily obtained of the lot of them!!!

So looking at the ease of which doctors
prescribe medication, are anti-depressants also prescribed way too
easily? I think they are. I remember when I was at University and
one of my flatmates had recently split up with her boyfriend, she
took it really badly and went to the doctor for advice. Instantly
she was prescribed Fluoxetine, or Prozac as it is known by brand. It
is a name that instantly creates a stigma around what is exactly
wrong with you.

Admittedly this was at the tail end of
the 90’s, the decade where Prozac really exploded onto the scene
but still, even today there is a definite stigma attached to the
name. In the end, after thinking about it she decided not to take
it. And sure enough, a short while later, she was back to her usual
cheerful self.

The thing is, although talking therpies
and lifestyle changes can be far more beneficial to some people, I
guess it’s just easier for a doctor to write out a prescription
instead. And this I think is something that definitely needs to
change.

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Are you a conscious shopper? Are you
always thinking of more ways to live not only a more eco-friendly
life, but a more people friendly life? As a Vegan I am always
conscious of the food I buy...not only for the benefit of animals but
also that of local farmers and of the countries where my food comes
from. So much of the stuff that we eat on a daily and drink on a
daily basis comes from 3rd world countries, countries that
rely on our trade for their people to merely live. And this life is
not a fruitful one. Take rice for example, have you ever watched any
documentaries on the Asian people who work on rice farms? It's
disgusting the life that they live, they're basically slaves...they
live on mere pennies and their living conditions are cramped dirty
shacks! They are overworked and severely underpaid, they live a life
that no human being should be subjected too...and all for us to buy
cheap rice!

The rice farms are just one example of
a reason to buy Fairtrade. Paying that little bit more for your
rice is surely worth it, at least you can eat it knowing that the
rice farmers are actually getting some money back for all their hard
work.

Other examples of food and drink that
we can choose to buy Fairtrade are coffee, tea, orange juice, bananas, oranges, sugar, chocolate, olive oil and
wine. Personally if I can, I always choose to buy Fairtrade of
these products.

It is not only food and drink that we
can purchase Fairtrade, there are also fabrics, jewellery, bags,
clothes, beads...the list goes on.

When it comes to making jewellery, I
love buying Fairtrade beads. I find it amazing how these African
women recycle bottles and magazines and much more and then turn them
into gorgeous beads. Knowing that the money goes directly back to
them is brilliant. It's also nice knowing that you are not buying
from some big corporation that churns out millions of the things, all
whilst damaging the environment at the same time.

I have met with
individuals who massively support the Fairtrade fabric and jewellery
trade, they go out to Africa several times a year to buy these
products and meet with the women who make them. One of my favourite companies that do this, and one that I have personally met and who are absolutely lovey are The African Fabric Shop! I totally recommend that you check out their website, and if you love making your own blankets and clothes and jewellery, then you won't regret it, these guys are an inspiration to us all! <3